DeepNight Eve
by Frontline
Summary: Gary and Sasha are in Celadon City for the DeepNight Eve celebration. When ghost stories come to life, they encounter more than they expected.


**ALL CHARACTERS AND CONCEPTS ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED OR ANY PROFIT MADE.**

Night had fallen in Celadon City, paper lanterns lining the squares and streets as Gary Oak strolled through the crowds. He was a young man with brown hair, a black jacket worn casually over his dark blue shirt and an air of self-assured confidence. He was casually eating a toffee apple and looking around with a faint smile on his face. His grin widened as he saw a group of children further down the street, each carrying bags filled with sweets and being followed by a tired looking woman with an indulgent smile.  
>'Isn't this awesome?' Gary asked, looking down at Umbreon. 'Deepnight Eve is the best holiday ever.'<br>'Wow. An Umbreon!'  
>Hearing the shout, Gary looked up to see the group of children standing in front of him, staring wide-eyed at Umbreon. Deepnight Eve was the longest night of the year and, according to legend, a time of ghosts and spirits, lanterns being lit to keep shadows at bay. These days, most people thought it nothing more than a superstition, but the tradition continued.<br>'Children!' The woman snapped, having caught up and she turned to Gary with an apologetic smile. 'I'm sorry, they're a little over-excited.'  
>'That's alright.' Gary said, turning to the kids.<br>'Hi. Umbreon, do you want to say 'hello?'  
>Umbreon padded forward, circling around the children, receiving a pat here and a stroke there, before returning to Gary and sitting down in front of him<br>'What do you say?' The Mother asked and the children chorused.  
>'Thank you.'<br>'Happy Deepnight.' Gary said as their Mother ushered them away and Gary strolled on, spotting a figure sitting on the wall, staring out over the water.  
>'Hey.' Gary said and Sasha looked up.<br>'Oh. Hey.'  
>Sasha was a Pokemon Ranger, Wilderness experts and explorers for the Pokemon League.<br>'What are you doing?' Gary said, sitting next to her.  
>'Nothing.' Sasha said and Gary frowned.<br>'Come on, you're missing all the fun.'  
>'It's only Deepnight Eve, Gary.' She said, with a shrug. 'It's no big deal.<br>'No big deal? It's only the coolest, spookiest night of the year, when all the ghosts and ghouls come out.'  
>'That's...that's just kid stuff, Gary.'<br>'It's not just kid stuff.' Gary said. 'It's great. You get to party all night, eat candy and tell ghost stories. Come on.'  
>'No, I'll just stay...'<br>Sandra was interrupted by a scream from across the square and Gary leapt to his feet as a man staggered out of an alley and collapsed. Gary sprinted over and knelt next to him, looking into eyes that were wide with fright. The man was shaking all over and his breathe came in ragged gasps.  
>'Sasha!'<p>

Gary paced up and down while Sasha attended to the man, checking his pulse and then sending someone to get a blanket for him. As he passed the alley that the man had come from, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Umbreon, who was sitting on his shoulder, hadn't taken his eyes off it. He was about to take a look when Sasha stood up and walked over to him, pulling him out of earshot.  
>'He's suffered a shock. Something's scared him very badly.'<br>'In there, I bet.' Gary said, starting towards the alley and Sasha grabbed his arm.  
>'What are you doing?'<br>'Going to have a look.' He said. 'If you're scared, you don't have to come.'  
>'I...I'm not scared.'<br>'Good. Let's go.'  
>Gary walked towards the alley and, hesitating for a moment, Sasha followed him. As Gary approached the alley, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, a chill running down his spine and he held out his hand.<br>'Wait here.' He said, stepping into the dark alley and disappearing from sight. Several seconds passed and there was no sign of him.  
>'Gary?' Sasha called, but there was no answer. 'Gary?'<br>Feeling her heart race, she stepped into the alley, her footsteps echoing off the walls and she peered into the gloom.  
>'Gary?' She squeaked and a voice by her ear said<br>'Yes?'  
>She shrieked and turned to see Gary standing next to her, grinning.<br>'That wasn't funny.' She said, punching him on the shoulder and Gary just laughed again.  
>'Oh, come on. The look on your face.' He said, his expression turning serious.<br>'Anyway, do you feel that?'  
>'Feel what?'<br>'That feeling? Like cold on the back of your neck?'  
>'I...I don't feel anything.' Sasha lied. 'Come on, there's nothing here. Let's get back and...'<br>'Something was here.' Gary said, turning towards Umbreon who was staring fixedly at the end of the alley.  
>'Can you track it?' Gary asked<br>Umbreon nodded and Gary turned to Sasha.  
>'Umbreon's got the trail. Are you coming?'<br>'...okay.'

They followed Umbreon through the maze of alleys and side streets, Gary still feeling the cold sensation on the back of his neck and he grinned.  
><em>This is the best Deepnight Eve ever. <em>  
>But, he could see that someone wasn't having as much fun. Surreptitiously, he glanced at Sasha, who was looking around apprehensively, her hands clasped in front of her.<br>'What's up with you?' Gary asked. 'You've been jumpy all night.'  
>'Nothing. I'm fine.'<br>'Sure. You've been acting like you've seen a ghost all... That's it, isn't it? You're scared of ghosts?'  
>'Th...there's no such thing as ghosts.' She said, wrapping her arms around her as Umbreon stopped with his ears flat back against his head and Gary felt the air become colder, like the wind from a tomb.<br>'You're sure about that?' He asked as spectral figures emerged from the shadows, moving towards them. They looked like people but, as they drew closer, Gary realised that he could see the alley wall through them and his eyes widened.  
>'What are they?' Sasha asked, backing up and Gary drew a Pokeball from his belt.<br>'Ghosts.' He said. 'Arcanine!'  
>He released the Pokeball and Arcanine emerged, baring his teeth at the approaching ghostly figures, growling deep in his throat.<br>'Arcanine, flamethrower!' Gary ordered and Arcanine unleashed a jet of fire directly towards the ghosts. However, the blast went straight through them and scorched the wall behind.  
>'Sasha, run.' Gary ordered. 'Get out of here.'<br>Sasha shook her head and pointed behind her, Gary turning to see more ghosts coming down the alley behind them, hands reaching for them.  
>'This isn't happening, this isn't happening.' Sasha repeated, to herself. 'There's no such thing as ghosts. It's just a bad dream. Just a nightmare.'<br>'That's it!' Gary said, snapping his fingers. 'Umbreon, where's that cold feeling strongest?"  
>Umbreon looked behind him at a patch of shadow on the wall that seemed deeper than the darkness around it and Gary pointed at it.<br>'Arcanine, flamethrower.'  
>Arcanine unleashed another burst of fire and the shadow seemed to ripple, a purple shape emerging from it and dropping to the alley floor. It recovered and got back to its feet, staring straight at them.<br>_Gengar!_ Gary thought. _I was right._  
>'Arcanine.' Gary called. 'Flameth...'<br>'Wait!' Sasha cried, stepping in front of him, with her arms spread to block his path. 'Wait.'  
>Turning round, she knelt in front of Gengar and, her hand shaking, reached out for him.<br>'Don't...' Gary started, just as Gengar reached out and touched her hand, the whole world going black.

When Gary opened his eyes, he found himself floating in the air with Sasha and the Gengar, the streets of Celadon City below them. Without seeming to move, the view swept down towards an alley and Gary saw a man standing there, staring at the Pokeball in his hand. As Gary watched, he opened the ball, the red energy coalescing into the form of a Gengar.  
>'Is that you?' Sasha and the Gengar nodded.<br>'Gengar.'  
>The man threw the Pokeball aside, turning and strolling out of the alley without looking back, his hands in his pockets. Gengar moved to follow him and Gary saw the man snap something at him, drawing Gengar up short. With stopping, the man disappeared around the corner, leaving Gengar standing there. He stood still for a second, before turning to pick up the Pokeball and cradling it in both hands. Gary glanced left at Gengar as the alley fell away and everything went dark again.<p>

When Gary opened his eyes, he was back in the alley with Sasha kneeling next to Gengar, slowly withdrawing her hand.  
>'What was that?' Gary asked, shaking his head.<br>'I think...that was Gengar's memory.' Sasha said. 'Is that it? Was that your Trainer?'  
>'Gengaar.'<br>'He abandoned you, didn't he? On Deepnight Eve? That's why you were scaring people?'  
>'Gengar, Gengar.'<br>'Huh?' Gary said. 'How'd you work that out?'  
>'This is the same alleyway that we saw in the memory. That's why he came back here. His Trainer abandoned him here on Deepnight Eve, so he came back here on Deepnight Eve to try and find him again.'<br>Gary scratched his head; it seemed like quite a leap to him. Besides...'  
>'So, why was he scaring people?' He asked and Sandra shrugged<br>'He's a Ghost Pokemon. You know how playful they are. And Deepnight Eve is all about being scared. I guess...he was just playing along.'  
>Sasha turned back to Gengar and extended her hand again.<br>'I...don't think your Trainer is coming back.' She said and Gengar looked mournful.  
>'Gengaaar?'<br>'Yes. But, he's out there somewhere. And maybe we can find him. We travel all around the world. Do you...want to come with us?'  
>Gengar stared at her for a moment and then nodded, his Pokeball appearing on the floor in front of him and he returned to it. Sasha hesitated for a moment and then picked it up, fixing it to her belt and standing up.<br>'Come on.' She said. 'Let's go.'  
>'Where?' Gary asked and she grinned.<br>'Back to the Festival.' She said, with a grin. 'The night's only just getting started.'

**THANK YOU FOR READING. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. ANY REVIEWS, COMMENTS OR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WOULD BE VERY WELCOME**


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